HOPE Vol. 5 No. 2 winter 2010

2 HOPE // WINTER 2010 www.SistersofProvidence.org 3
HOPE Features Cover story 4 Spiritual direction: you are not alone Young adults 6 Walking with young people
More on the Web 8 ‘ … a gift that you give to yourself’
Doubt 10 The sacrament of doubt
Departments Suggested resources 13 Partners in our mission 14 Alumnae/i news 17 Photo album 19 Newsnotes 20 My heart watches … 20 Obituaries 21 Upcoming events 22 Mission Statement: The purpose of HOPE is to extend the energy and power of Providence to our friends by sharing information about the mission, spirituality and ministries of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. Volume 5 • No. 2 winter 2010 Executive Editor: Sister Rosemary Schmalz
Editors: Sister Ann Casper and Diane Weidenbenner
Copy Editor: Sister Cordelia Moran Publication
Manager/Designer: Connie McCammon Cover Designer:
Pam Lynch Editorial Board: Rosie Blankenship, Christina Blust, Cheryl Casselman, Dave Cox, Brother Barry Donaghue, cfc, Michelle Fredeking, Sue Heck, Becky Igo, Sister Jeanne Knoerle, Sister Bernice Kuper, Sandy Scroggins and Sister Joan Zlogar Contact Information:
Office of Congregational Advancement, 1 Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876
For change of address: cdavis@spsmw.org or 812-535-2804 Web address: www.SistersofProvidence.org
Children’s Web site: www.WoodsUp.com Printed on recycled paper The Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin For information about Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, contact Sister Barbara Doherty, coordinator of the Office of the Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, Providence Hall, 1 Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN
47876-1007 or 812-535-2925 or bdoherty@spsmw.org.
Page 14
Page 6
Page 18
On the cover:
Sister Catherine Livers (right) has
been Vanita Moore’s spiritual
director since last spring. Sister
Catherine shares about spiritual
direction, “In our spiritual journeys,
we are always growing, we are
always learning more and more
about God’s love and grace.”
Join the Sisters
of Providence fan page
on Facebook!
4 HOPE // WINTER 2010
www.SistersofProvidence.org 5Cover story
Continued on page 5
Continued from page 4
Spiritual direction:
you are not alone
By Dave Cox
A multiple choice question for the spiritual at heart:
Being a spiritual director keeps you:
1.) On your toes
2.) Up to date
3.) On your knees
4.) Out of trouble
Actually, with not too much of a stretch of imagination, all four answers could be correct. Certainly, spiritual directors need to be alert and attentive to others’ needs; they need to be up-to-date on society’s demands and influences; they need to be in prayer; and, they’re probably too busy to get into much trouble.
Photo above: Vanita Moore (left) has sought spiritual direction from Sister Catherine Livers since March 2009. (Photo by Connie McCammon)
But Sister Catherine Livers, who has been a spiritu­al
director for 25 years, says emphatically, “It keeps you on your knees.”
“It seems now that many more people, maybe because of the chaotic times in which we live, are seeking a deeper meaning of life and their relation­ship
with God,” Sister Catherine said.
“It is very humbling to walk with someone on a spiritual journey. For someone to come and share her/his deepest longings or questions or anxieties about life, it does keep you on your knees. I know if I am not listening to God myself, or if I don’t have a spiritual director of my own, I’m not going to be as helpful. It helps me stay honest,” she added.
Sister Catherine has a background in counseling, education, spirituality and parish work. Often, when she has counseled people, she has realized she was receiving questions like who is God, or how do I pray, or where is God in this event in my life. In essence those questions form the foundation of a spiritual director’s role. The key foundation ques­tion
might be “What am I to learn?”
“They learn to look at their lives as events that come to them and say, ‘What is God trying to show me in this event or this circumstance?’ There is al­ways
a lesson. How can I become more knowledge­able
of God’s love in this event? Sometimes it isn’t easy,” Sister Catherine said.
“In each person there is an inner voice. A person learns to listen more carefully to silence, or do more reading, or just take a walk and be with nature. We can find God many ways,” she noted. “In our spiri­tual
journeys, we are always growing, we are always learning more and more about God’s love and grace.”
It seems easy to question God’s role and presence in times of stress such as tragedies, severe illnesses, natural disasters and personal challenges.
“A spiritual director can ask questions and help directees see that God doesn’t want them to suffer alone. God is right there walking with them, helping them to face the challenge they are going through. God wants the best for God’s children,” Sister
Catherine said.
When the challenge is steep and resolution seems re­mote,
it is time to exercise the knees again. “Let me tell you, you spend hours on your knees asking God to help that person, or finding the right message to share with that person. It isn’t always easy,” she said.
Sister Catherine’s ministry is an educational stimu­lant
and regular consultation with her spiritual advi­sor
keeps her focused.
“I’ve learned to appreciate human beings more. I enjoy walking with a person who is seeking God and wanting God to be more prevalent in his or her life. That is a profound gift. For me personally, it has made me a better listener. I know if I have noth­ing
inside, then there is nothing I can give to help people. I meet with my spiritual director regularly. How can I give to others unless I work on my own journey? I can have blind spots. I expect my spiritual director to be honest with me.”
HVanita finds a trusted companion for the journey
By Connie McCammon
Imagine having a trusted companion who will hold your deepest musings in confidence and walk beside you as you open your entire being to the sacred. Vanita Moore of Brazil, Ind., has found that trusted companion in Sister Catherine Livers.
Vanita took a very circuitous route to finding spiri­tual
direction. In 2000, Gary Scroggins, her pastor at the First Presbyterian Church in Brazil, enrolled in a two-year program through The Academy for Spiritual Formation. Gary shared his involvement in this program with his congregants. Then Vanita and several members of her church attended a retreat held at Our Lady of Fatima Retreat House, Indianap­olis.
Vanita remembers seeing many rooms marked for spiritual direction. Vanita really got interested in spiritual direction after she attended a five-day program at The Academy for Spiritual Formation. When she returned to Brazil, she was ready to find a spiritual director.
See VANITA MOORE on page 96 HOPE // WINTER 2010
www.SistersofProvidence.org 7
Young adults
Interviews and photos by Cheryl Casselman
Providence Volunteer Ministry (PVM), a program of the Sisters of Providence, gives women and men the opportunity to live and minister with
the Sisters of Providence for a summer or a year. As part of the year-long service
experience each volunteer chooses a spiritual director. Three of the PVMs responded to the question, “How have you grown in faith through spiritual direction?”
“Spiritual direction has been invaluable to me during my time here at the Woods. It has chal­lenged
me to grow and strengthen my relationship with God. I have been struggling in particular with taking time to consciously spend time with God. I have found that I get caught up in the chaos of the day and forget to center myself in him. Spiritual direction has given me some tools to create a calm and prayerful time within my day even amongst the craziness of life.”
— Arrianne Whittaker, of Germantown, Wis., is a graduate of Marquette University, Milwaukee, with a degree in biomedical sciences. She is ministering at St. Ann Clinic in Terre Haute.
“Through the past year-and-a-half of spiritual direc­tion,
I see God in the people I encounter and in all the things that’re happening around me. I see that through God, in God, and with God, all things are possible. Currently, I am learning to let go and let God be in control of my life, so that I am not the center, but God is. I am learning to trust God with all my will, body, mind and soul.”
— Alice Liu has lived in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Texas, California, Mas­sachusetts
and Hawaii. She has a master’s degree in professional accounting and bachelor degrees in economics and business admin­istration,
all from the University of Texas in Austin. Alice is ministering at Providence University in Taiwan.
“Nothing can stop my dreams if I believe in God. I don’t try to figure out my life, I just pray for the great one to give me a sign. I take long walks, take a deep breath and pray. I feel God close to me when I do this.
“You never know where God will put you. God gave me the strength to come to a new place and meet new people. God puts you in situations for a learning process. God will never let you down.”
— Nancy Morales, of the San Fernando Valley, Calif., is a gradu­ate
of California State Univer­sity
Northridge with a degree in health education. Nancy com­pleted
her PVM service at St. Ann Clinic and The Gift Shop at Provi­dence
Center in December.Spiritual direction: a challenge to grow in faith
alking with young people
W
By Becky Igo
How does one help a young person find his or her way on a personal spiritual journey?
Sister Betty Paul summed up the task effortlessly, advising us to: Be patient, show respect and offer much love and support.
Sister Betty should know as she has worked just over three decades in education, faith formation and youth-related ministries. Currently, she serves 19 parishes and two missions in the Greensboro and Winston-Salem Vicariates with the Office of Faith Formation for the Diocese of Charlotte, N.C.
Sister Betty’s office is in Greensboro, N.C. Her duties are varied and the pace often hectic. “I sup­port
the adults who serve young people as caticati­cal
leaders or catechists,” she said. In addition, she teaches faith formation classes or might be speaking to sixth- and seventh-grade students about “what it means to be a sister,” in her case, a Sister of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., where she took perpetual vows on April 10, 1976. She has most interaction with youth in sixth through 12th grades. Also, she is a volunteer catechist in her own parish, Our Lady of the Rosary in Lexington, N.C.
Persons responsible for faith formation emphasize they do not tell a young person or adult how to achieve or define their spirituality. Rather, the faith seekers are assisted in their search to “know Jesus” and to “build their relationship with Jesus,” Sister Betty said. “All that we do in faith formation is to help them build that relationship.”
An example of how faith develops is addressed in Rev. John H. Westerhoff’s book, “Will Our Children Have Faith?” In it, he defines four faith stages as:
• Experienced faith: the child experiencing what parents experience.
• Affiliative faith: belonging to a Christian com­munity
and being influenced by their peers.
• Searching faith: a time when youth start to question for themselves.
• Owned faith: standing up for what one believes.
“Our goal is to help young people become members of the parish community, walk with them and allow opportunity for their questions,” Sister Betty said, adding faith formation can take years and, in some cases, a lifetime.
According to Sister Betty, the Catholic Church has a respon­sibility
not only to youth, but to parents, parishes and com­munities.
She stressed that it’s important that parishes strive for family gathering opportunities to allow for social and prayer time together. “The celebration of Mass is the center of parish life,” she said. Also, youth are drawn to community service op­portunities
and parishes should note that, she added.
Following the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church began to put more emphasis on ministries to specific parish groups. In 1976, the U.S. Confer­ence
of Catholic Bishops compiled a document, “A Vision of Youth Ministry.” There was an immediate push to appoint youth ministers, to develop youth ministry training programs and youth leadership training, to in­crease
youth ministry resources, and to attend to the needs of families.
Twenty years later, the bishops enhanced that vision with “Re­newing
the Vision,” focusing on three important goals:
• Empowering young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ;
• Drawing young people to responsible participation in the life, mission and work of the Church; and
• Fostering the total personal and spiritual growth of each young person.
“Adolescents are a priority and
Photo above: On May 23, 2009, Sister Betty Paul joined Rev. Al Gondek, OSFS, as Lumi Navarro received her First Holy Communion conducted at the Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Lexington, N.C. (Submitted photo)
See SISTER BETTY on page 88 HOPE // WINTER 2010
www.SistersofProvidence.org 9
“Gary told me to go online [to Spiritual Directors International]. So I went online looking for lists of spiritual directors in the area,” said Vanita, who helps her husband, Rob, run Moore Funeral Home, a 125-year-old family business in Brazil.
Providence intervened when Sandy Scroggins, wife of Gary and major gifts associate in the Office of Congregational Advancement of the Sisters of Provi­dence,
attended a luncheon where Vanita was pres­ent.
Vanita shared with Sandy that she was seeking a spiritual director. Sandy told Vanita she had the perfect person for her!
Vanita and Sister Catherine have been meeting three or four times a month since March 2009.
“[Spiritual direction] is being aware of how God acts in my life. Sister Catherine said the first day we met that as a spiritual director she works holisti­cally.
She wants to know about my day-to-day life,
Continued from page 5
Vanita Moore
it’s a challenge in some cases because of the lack of personnel and financial resources,” Sister Betty said. Even with few resources opportunities can be offered, even if they are sporadic, she adds.
“The challenge is that it takes a long time to build up youth ministry,” Sister Betty said. “Sometimes you start in the middle grades and offer something, and then you add to that and continue on through the high school faith formation years.”
Sister Betty said her faith formation work has been rewarding.
“During my 30-plus years in diocesan ministry, I have had the opportunity to assist bishops in the
Sister Bettyabout my family, about my work, about my inter­ests,
about my hobbies and how God plays a role in my life,” said Vanita, an accomplished storyteller and a member of the Network of Biblical Storytell­ers
International.
“After meeting with Sister Catherine for two or three times, I remember looking at her and smil­ing
and I said, ‘I really like spending this time with you. I feel like I can ask you anything and talk to you about anything and you’re not trying to fix me.’ And she laughed and smiled great big and said, ‘Oh, honey, you don’t need to be fixed; you just need somebody to travel the path with you.’ I love that. That’s what our relationship has been,” said Vanita.
Vanita has been blessed by finding a trusted com­panion
for her journey.
For more information about Vanita and her story­telling,
visit www.moorestories.net. For more infor­mation
about The Academy for Spiritual Formation, visit www.upperroom.org/academy.dioceses of Oklahoma City, Norwich, Worcester and Charlotte in their role as Chief Catechetical Leader through my youth ministry and faith formation positions. I have received support, encouragement and gratitude from them in these ministry situations which have given me a positive experience of our universal Catholic Church,” Sister Betty said.
“I have had the opportunity to share this experience of the broader Catholic Church with young people and to offer them that experience in a variety of set­tings
outside their local parish community: retreats, leadership training, summer camps, youth conferenc­es
(diocesan, regional, national and international), in educational settings.
“To walk with young people on their faith journeys over these years through my ministry experiences has been a privilege and a blessing,” she said.
Continued from page 7
H
H
Story and photo by Connie McCammon
Providence Associate Connie Schnapf of New­burgh,
Ind., has been a spiritual director for four years. A few years ago, she completed a two-year internship program in spiritual direction with the Sisters of St. Benedict in Ferdinand, Ind.
“[Spiritual direction] is the op­portunity
to sit with a trusted companion/spiritual director and to reflect on your relationship with God. It’s a time to look at your daily life and God’s pres­ence
within it. It is a gift that you give to yourself!” said Con­nie,
who serves as the director of religious education at St. John the Baptist Parish, Newburgh.
“Working in a parish setting gives me opportunities to be available to people in and around the parish and diocese. I find that my train­ing
as a spiritual director goes beyond the one-on-one setting of the spiritual direction relationship. The skills learned during my formation have been invaluable in interacting with people of all ages on a daily basis. Everyone wants to be truly listened to. How this is done can make all the difference in the world,” said Connie.
“I come away from a spiritual direction session in awe at how the Spirit works in our lives. It is an honor and privilege to accompany another person on her/his journey. I sometimes wonder who was the directee and who was the companion. It is very humbling to be a part of another person’s life in this way,” continued Connie
Visit www.SistersofProvidence.org and click on “As seen in HOPE” for a more in-depth interview with Connie.
‘ … a gift that you give to yourself’
More on the Web
By Diane Weidenbenner
Hannah Corbin visited the Sisters of Providence booth at the 2005 National Catholic Youth Confer­ence,
“Winds of Change,” in Atlanta. She was among the 22,000 in attendance that included high school and col­lege
students, religious educa­tors,
chaperones and parents. Little did she know then how appropriate the conference title would prove to be in her own life. Fast forward to Sept. 14, 2009, and you’ll find Han­nah
knocking on the Provi­dence
Hall front door, a tradi­tion
symbolizing her entrance into the Sisters of Providence as a postulant.
Hannah graduated in 2006 from the University of Indianapolis with degrees in German and youth ministry. As she learned more about the Sisters of Providence, she became interested in its Provi­dence
Volunteer Ministry (PVM). She became a summer volunteer in June 2006 and worked in the organic and biodynamic vegetable gardens and orchards of White Violet Center for Eco-Justice (WVC), a ministry of the Sisters of Providence.
Visit www.SistersofProvi­dence.
org and click on “As seen in HOPE” to read more about Hannah’s spiritual walk.
Hannah shares about her spiritual walk
Photo at left: Sister Dina Bato, novice, walks with Hannah Corbin, Sister Rita Ann Wade and Hannah’s mentor,
Sister Barbara McClelland, (left to right) during
Hannah’s entrance into the postulancy. (Photo by
Christina Blust)sacrament
10 HOPE // WINTER 2010
www.SistersofProvidence.org 11
Doubt
The
By Brother Barry Donaghue, cfc
I was excited to read, as recently as Oct. 30, 2009, that we are now able to estimate the distance from Earth of a huge gamma ray burst, previously de­tected
by NASA’s Swift satellite. Since light coming from such an extraordinary distance is stretched because the universe is expanding, the greater the stretch the more distant the object. This stretching is called redshift and can be seen and measured. The previous most distant object was a galaxy and had a redshift of 6.96. This gamma-ray burst had a redshift of 8.2, which puts it at 13.1 billion years ago, the furthest we have ever seen, a “mere” 630 million years after the original “flaring forth.” That’s amazing!
At that time the universe was nine times smaller than it is now.
The immensity, beauty and timing of the movement of creation continue to be “Oh, my God” mo­ments
for me as I become more and more aware of the power, intelligence and sheer life-force of our God and the amazing presence and relationship of the same God in our lives. Just as the universe is expanding, so the life and example of Jesus calls us to expand our understanding of and our relationship with God. We have the deposit of faith, but we must also continue to interact with it, because it is of God and never-ending.
This new science certainly challenges the old stories of creation that I was brought up on, although I can still value them. The Bible stories of creation were addressed to people at a particular time in history with their worldview and the religious questions that emerged from that worldview and their notions about God. In this context the stories conveyed both hope and truth for them. But they cannot and should not be taught as literal fact today.
Not surprisingly, all this has brought up for me the role of doubt in developing my faith. I was somewhat surprised when I realized that doubt was not a challenge to my faith, but rather called me to consider far more deeply what I believe and why. I realized that doubt is not the opposite of faith; certainty has that role. These new discoveries, although challenging my certain­ties,
have freed my faith to lead me into a deeper relationship with God. Certainty is comfortable, but if I am comfortable I will be very reluctant to move. In terms of faith development I need a “burr under my saddle” and doubt supplies that. Not comfort­able,
but necessary. Doubt has helped me realize more of what was meant by God’s words in Isaiah 55:9: “As the heavens are higher than the Earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
We could also turn to the words of St. Thomas Aquinas: “A mistake in our understanding of cre­ation
will necessarily cause a mistake in our under­standing
of God.” Or those of St. Paul in Romans 1:20: “Ever since God created the world, God’s everlasting power and deity — however invisible — have been there for the mind to see in the things God has made.” Again, in Romans 8:22 Paul says: “We know that the whole creation has been groan­ing
as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.”
These great intuitive saints could not see what we can see with modern technology, but they sensed that God was about more than we could think or imagine. Paul, for instance, had to doubt the power of the Law, all that he had been brought up to believe as sacred, and that came hard. So, if all this stuff about the universe knocks us off our horses, isn’t that wonderful? Could it be that the age of the horse is past?
Let me use an example from my years in Tasmania, Australia’s island state. The southwest of the state is dense temperate rain forest, absolutely track­less,
but a wonderful place to hike amongst 150
of
doubt
See DOUBT on page 12
I realized that doubt is not the opposite of faith. …
— BROTHER BARRY DONAGHUE
“
”12 HOPE // WINTER 2010 www.SistersofProvidence.org 13
Resources
Web site:
Spiritual Directors International: www.sdiworld.org
This site is quite good. It provides information about what spiritual direction is and how one can find a director. This site does this for all religions.
Books:
“When the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Life’s Sacred Questions” by Sue Monk Kidd (1990)
This book invites the reader to enter more deeply into oneself and to ask the questions that are both personal and always universal.
“Being in Love: The Practice of Christian Prayer” by William Johnston (1989)
William Johnston is a Jesuit and the author of many books on spirituality. He writes in the form of letters to a colleague who is opening a new prayer center. He gives advice and encouragement which would be helpful to anyone wanting to grow in the spiritual life. He broadens the notion of prayer, brings together ideas from the East and the West, talks about coming to wholeness in one’s person and the need to change.
Other book suggestions:
“Holy Listening: The Art of Spiritual Direction” by Margaret Guenther
“The Art of Spiritual Guidance” by Carolyn Gratton
“Spiritual Director, Spiritual Companion: Guide to Tending the Soul” by Tilden Edwards
“Spiritual Direction: Beyond the Beginnings” by Janet Ruffing, RSM
“Silent Hope: Living with the Mystery of God” by John Kirvan
“Radical Amazement: Contemplative Lessons from Black Holes, Supernovas, and Other Wonders of the Universe” by Judy Cannato
“The Holy Longing: The Search for a Christian Spirituality” by Ronald RolheiserSuggested resources for spiritual direction
www.smwc.eduWOODS ONLINESaint Mary-of-the-Woods College1-800-499-0373• An interactiveonline degree program• Accelerated 8 week courses• Earn your degree in 4 years• Earn Credit for Life Experiences• Financial Aid AvailableIntroducing ...Go to College ... Without Going to Class!
tall mountains, button grass plains and a multitude of lakes with reflections you wouldn’t believe; an extraordinary eco-system that has been developing for more than 65 million years.
However, one does get lost; in fact getting lost is just about mandatory. But we have maps and a com­pass
and even aerial photographs. So we get back our bearings from two or preferably three moun­tains
we recognize from the contours on the map and find out where we really are. Then we compare it with the aerial map terrain and continue on our course, until we start to doubt our progress again. As Saint Mother Theodore Guerin said, “Grope along slowly.” We are in the arms of God.
I use this example of “getting lost” as a metaphor for spiritual direction, although the spiritual direc­tor
is going to be a lot more relational and listening than a bunch of maps and compasses.
In 1840, Sister St. Theodore, sick and physically damaged, was asked to cross a dangerous ocean and go into the wilderness. We know from the writings of the second general superior, Mother Cecilia Bailly, that by the time she was walking down the slope, after the wagon stopped in the forest at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Sister St. Theodore was so full of doubt she was almost despairing. However, she persevered, and in the little log cabin chapel she saw the consecrated host and realized that God was here waiting for her. She had never been out of God’s view. Her doubt led to something like the explosion of the universe in her much smaller psyche. When she stepped out of that sorry little building, in a sense, all that the Sisters of Providence have accom­plished
in God’s name over 170 years exploded out of her, continuing to spread ever since. Such a force for good! And Sister St. Theodore became Saint Mother Theodore.
Let us go out across our symbolic seas and venture into our dark forests and deep caves. Let us take our good, strong, loving hearts with us and walk with God into the wilderness. Never be afraid to doubt. Nothing great has ever been achieved without it.
I had grasped God’s garment in the void
but my hand slipped
on the rich silk of it.
The “everlasting arms” my sister loved to remember must have upheld my leaden weight
from falling, even so,
for though I claw at empty air and feel
nothing, no embrace,
I have not plummeted.
“Suspended,” Denise Levertov
Director of Providence Center at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., Brother Barry Donaghue is an
Australian Christian Brother. He is a teacher and retreat director.
Doubt
Continued from page 11
HDialogue with us!The members of the HOPE editorial board want to hear from you. Please visit
www.SistersofProvidence.org and look for the link that says, “How has doubt played a role in your faith development? Share your thoughts.”Don’t forget our Web site has stories about Hannah Corbin and Connie Schnapf.14 HOPE // WINTER 2010 www.SistersofProvidence.org 15
Partners in our mission
By Connie McCammon
“We try to share with them as friends.”
With this simple statement Mary Kay Watson of Worton, Md., sums up her and her husband’s relationship with the Sisters of Providence. And by sharing, Mary Kay doesn’t mean just financially. She also means sharing herself.
Mary Kay was born and raised in Washington, Ind. She was taught by the Benedictines during her elementary school years. When she entered high school at Washington Catholic in 1961, she met her first Sister of Providence. The first sister who really made an impres­sion
on her was the late Sister Carol Rassenfoss, a music teacher. Mary Kay had taken piano lessons throughout elementary school. How­ever,
Mary Kay noted that she wasn’t “particularly talented.” So when she went to high school, Mary Kay thought her piano days were over. However one day her mother announced that she had found a new piano teacher — Sister Carol!
“With that I burst into tears and ran into the bed­room
because the last thing I ever wanted to hear was that I was going to keep on taking piano les­sons!
Sister Carol was my first really close Provi­dence
connection. She got me through my first boyfriend, my first broken heart. She taught me as much piano as she could. She was just a wonderful connection for me,” said Mary Kay.
Because of that music, Mary Kay was able to
participate in a choral festival at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in the fall of 1961, her first trip to the Woods. “I told my parents that was where I was going to school. I never applied anywhere else,” continued Mary Kay, who graduated from the college in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She later earned a MBA from Monmouth College (now University) in West Long Branch, N.J.
To most people, Mary Kay is simply known as Mary. “Mary Kay is a Woods concoction,” she said. “I grew up as Mary. It was only when I appeared as a freshman at the Woods that there were so many Marys that year that my beanie had Mary and the initial ‘K.’ I kind of liked it. So to my Woods family, I’m Mary Kay,” said Mary Kay, who would later add the “a” and “y” to make Kay!
After graduation, Mary Kay worked for five years as a contract negotiator for the Navy at Crane, Ind. Life would take her to Moorestown, N.J., where she joined RCA, later to become Lockheed Martin, married and started a family that would include one son. When she retired in 2002, she was serving as a financial program facilitator dealing with the Navy in Washing­ton,
D.C. It was through her work that she met her second husband, Al Watson, a native of Maine.
Al attended Tufts University in Medford, Mass., on a Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Scholarship. Upon graduation in 1957 with a degree in applied and theoretical mathematics, he was immediately commissioned into the Navy.
After serving 26 years in the Navy, Al retired in 1979. Two years later he went to work for RCA as a program manager. When he retired in 2002 he was the director of development for the AEGIS Weapon System.
“On the way I met a contracting officer by the name of Mary, who later became my wife,” said Al, who has one son from a previous marriage and three grandchildren. Mary Kay and Al were mar­ried
in 1993.
Retirement brought an opportunity for new endeav­ors.
“Once we retired in Maryland, we had more time to consider how we wanted to spend our time and some of our resources. I would say that it was Al who encouraged me to increase our financial sup­port
for the Congregation,” said Mary Kay.
The increase in personal time with the Congregation occurred after the Watsons attended a Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Dinner at the Woods. “Sister Marsha Speth was my dinner partner,” said Mary Kay. “We realized that we had a lot in common. We developed a relation­ship.
I commented to her a few times that I was a little lost in retirement and looking to do something more and didn’t know what was next.”
Sister Marsha, a general officer, eventually asked Mary Kay if she would serve on the Congregation’s Mission Advisory Board (MAB). That request was later modified to include Al. Both Watsons joined the MAB in 2008. Additionally, they began serving on the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Board of Trustees in the fall of 2008.
“I am a planner and a manager by lots of years of experience. That’s the kind of support that I would like to give,” said Al, who has developed close friendships with several sisters including Sisters Dorothy Rasche and Ruth Eileen Dwyer.
“I think I bring a strong love through just the many
haring as friends
S
Continued on page 15
Continued from page 14
Photo above: Mary Kay and Al Watson enjoy some leisure time with Sister Marsha Speth (left) and Sister Dorothy Rasche (right). (Submitted photo)
“
I really believe that Mother Theodore’s spirit just pervades the entire campus and
everyone on it.
— MARY KAY WATSON
”
See MARY KAY on page 1616 HOPE // WINTER 2010
www.SistersofProvidence.org 17
Alumnae/i news
years of association and a great desire to help
people connect with one another,” said Mary Kay. “Yes, I can enjoy working budgets and providing advice, but I’m more of a facilitator.”
With their commitments to the Congregation and the college, the Watsons make a minimum of six trips to the Woods each year. But they always look forward to each trip.
“I love the peacefulness and the tranquility when
Mary Kay
Continued from page 15I’m there and the love of all the people that sur­round
us,” said Al.
“For me it’s coming back home. I would say that my college years were among the happiest of my life. And I really believe that Mother Theodore’s spirit just pervades the entire campus and everyone on it,” said Mary Kay, who has remembered the Congregation in her will.
Indeed, it’s simple to see that it’s as friends that Mary Kay and Al give of themselves and their fi­nancial
support to the Sisters of Providence.
HYou can make a safe online donation
Relax! Online donations to the Sisters of Provi­dence
are safe and secure. We want to provide you with the most secure and safe means to make donations online. So, we have contracted with PayPal to be our “merchant services” provider.
You don’t have to have an account with PayPal to make online contributions to the Sisters of Provi­dence.
Just go to our Web site at www.Sistersof­Providence.
org, click the “Donate” link under the “Contribute” tab and you’re there.
While you’re online, browse around the rest of the site to see what’s new.
Dear Alums,
Congratulations to the women of St. John Academy (SJA), Indianapolis! In September, 120 of St. John Academy alumnae celebrated the 50th year of the closing of the school and the 150th year of its be­ginning
with a Eucharistic Liturgy in St. John’s Church. Many memories of the times at SJA were shared by all at the brunch at the Convention Center. The Class of 1959 was the honored 50-year graduates. Thank you, Sister Marie Grace Molloy and Mary Ann Roman, for coor­dinating
the event.
Another Indianapolis reunion was celebrated on Sept. 26 by Ladywood School alumnae at their tri-annual luncheon. Thank you to Sister Jacquelyn “Jackie” Hoffman and her committee for a lovely gathering with a presentation about Saint Mother Theodore Guerin by Sister Barbara Doherty.
The annual all-school Providence High School Alumnae reunion took place on Oct. 31. The Class of 1949 had many happy alumnae reminiscing and catching up with current news. The alumnae as­sociation
again presented the Sisters of Providence Retirement Fund with a generous gift. That was a great treat for Halloween!
I want to encourage all alumnae/i associations to utilize the Web site (www.SistersofProvidence.org). Photos, announcements of events and information of interest can be posted on our Web site. Contact me to make a posting.
Sister Sue Paweski
773-463-2478 or spaweski@spsmw.org
Fall features great reunions
Top photo: Posing for a photo with Sister Sue (middle) during the Providence High School reunion are Carolyn Eaker Mitchell (left), Class of 1949, and Virginia M. Kott, Class of 1946. Bottom photo: Those attending the St. John Acad­emy
Class of 1959 reunion are (front, left to right): Dolores Meisberger Otto, Nancysue Blaschke Bishop, Margaret Ann Smith, Sharon Heeke Kennedy, Mary Roach Halterman and Mary Piercy Bake­meyer;
back row: Sondra Blankenbaker Singer, Sharon Chase Ronnebaum, Eileen Workman Young, Angela Hart Coffman, Betty Murphy Abbott, Rosalind Brothers
Brennan and Paula Weaver Johnson. (Submitted photos)
What does love look like?
All the volunteers who help us during our annual phonathon. Were it not for these women and men, the phonathon would not be the success that it has been in past years.
Sisters, staff members, alumnae/i, Providence As­sociates
and Candidate-Associates will give of their time during the 2010 Annual Phonathon. We ask that you take a few minutes when they call to talk with them.
The 2010 Annual Phonathon will be held Feb. 14-March 3. Volunteers will be calling from loca­tions
throughout the United States.
What does love look like?
All of you who will answer the phone when one of these volunteers calls. Help us make our phona­thon
a success by pledging your support to the life and mission of the Sisters of Providence.
To learn more about other ways you can support the Sisters of Providence, go to www.Sistersof­Providence.
org and click on “As seen in HOPE.”What does love look like?18 HOPE // WINTER 2010
www.SistersofProvidence.org 19
Welcome, Hannah!
Photo album
On Sept. 14, 2009, Hannah Corbin entered the Sisters of Providence as a postulant. General Superior Sister Denise Wilkinson, other members of the General Council, voca­tion
team members and several other sisters welcomed and blessed Hannah on the beginning of her journey with Providence. The next day, Hannah visited the Archives Department to add her name to the Entrance Book of the Congregation. There are two Entrance Books listing every woman who has entered the Congregation. Hannah is number 5,242. Pictured with Hannah are Sister Mary Ryan (center), archivist, and Sister Jan Craven, director of postulancy. (Photo by Christina Blust)
To view more photo albums, visit www.SistersofProvidence.org and look for the “As seen in HOPE” link. Or click on “News” in the upper-right-hand corner of our Web site and then click “Photos.”
Fore! 2010 scramble date set
The members of the Earl C. Rodgers & Associates Inc., West Terre Haute, Ind., golf team strike a casual pose during the 2009 Hole-y-One Golf Scramble™ held at the Hulman Links Golf Course in Terre Haute, Ind., on Sept. 18. The day was picture-perfect for a round of golf as 34 teams participated in the scramble. Next year’s golf scramble will be held Sept. 17, 2010, at Hulman Links. For more information, contact Diane Weidenbenner at 812-535-2802 or dweidenb@spsmw.org. (Photo by
Christina Blust)
Maureen Baca (left), a new Providence Associate from
Albuquerque, N.M., presents her commitment certificate to General Officer Sister Marsha Speth during the Rite of Commitment on Nov. 7 in the Church of the Immacu­late
Conception. Maureen and 22 other candidate-asso­ciates
made their commitments on a glorious fall day. Additionally, 37 Providence Associates renewed their commitments. In November, there were Rite of Renewal ceremonies in California, Chicago, Indianapolis and South Bend, Ind. For more information about Providence Associates, visit www.ProvidenceAssociates.org. (Photo by Connie McCammon)
Associates make commitments
In the news
The Sisters of Providence: a level above
The Sisters of Providence were selected to receive the prestigious Vision, A Level Above Award during the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce’s annual dinner meeting. The Vision, A Level Above Award recognizes an individ­ual,
individuals, an organization or business for making significant progress toward enhancing quality of life is­sues,
growth, and economic development promising future growth in our community further setting Terre Haute a level above other communities.
Pictured above after the program are Christopher Doll, executive vice president of Wabash Capital; Sister Paula Damiano, general officer; Sister Marie McCarthy, gen­eral
officer; Sister Jane Marie Osterholt, general officer; Sister Denise Wilkinson, general superior; Sister Nancy Reynolds, general officer; Sister Marsha Speth, general officer and vicar; Terre Haute attorney Curt Wilkinson; Rod Henry, executive director of the Terre Haute Cham­ber
of Commerce; and Catherine Saunders, Director of Development for the College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services at Indiana State University. (Photo courtesy of the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce and Mic’s Pics)
Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, foundress of the Sisters of Providence, is among the first group of individuals chosen for the new Local Legends Walk of Fame in Terre Haute, Ind.
A plaque honoring her contributions to education and ministry to people will be placed on North Ninth Street near the center of downtown where the Local Legends Walk of Fame will be located.
“We are, of course, thrilled that the Terre Haute community has embraced the legacy of our Saint Mother Theodore so strongly that they have in­cluded
her in such a historically significant group,” said Sister Denise Wilkinson, general superior.
Mother Theodore honoredwww.SistersofProvidence.org 21
Sister Catherine Alberta Kunkler June 28, 1922-Sept. 1, 2009
“Sister Catherine Alberta’s life, like that of Jesus, was given that others might have the freedom to work, study, teach and pray without concern for the more mundane things of life: having a clean, ordered environment in which to live; hot, tasty meals; and clean linen on their bed.”
Entering the Congregation Jan. 5, 1941, Sister Catherine Alberta ministered in domestic services at the motherhouse as well as at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. She minis­tered
at a New Hampshire convent and served 11 years as the director of food service at the Fatima Retreat House in Indianapolis.
Sister Mary Richard Griffith March 16, 1915-Oct. 18, 2009
“Sister Mary Richard loved oil painting and enjoyed painting delicate flowers on china. She mastered the violin and she loved to sing.”
Sister Mary Richard entered the Congregation July 19, 1934. She ministered for four decades as a teacher, administrator or clerical assistant in schools in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Massachusetts. She also served as a bookkeeper and business manager of Our Lady of Loretto Parish, Los Angeles. Upon her retirement, she continued with parish work before returning to the Woods and volunteering in several offices at the motherhouse.
Sister Mary Julia Cummings Feb. 3, 1922-Oct. 28, 2009
“Sister Mary Julia was fair and nonjudgmental. She was quiet and unassuming.”
Sister Mary Julia entered the Congregation Jan. 5, 1939. She ministered more than three decades in education and two decades in parish ministry. Her missions were in Indiana, Illinois and Oklahoma. Sister Mary Julia returned to the Woods in 1998.
Sister Ellen Marie Stafford April 12, 1916-Nov. 3, 2009
“Sister Ellen Marie’s presence was quiet and undemanding.”
Sister Ellen Marie entered the Congregation on July 15, 1934. Her years in ministry were devoted as either a teacher or parish visitor in Indiana and Illinois. The majority of her ministry was spent in Galesburg, Ill. Sister Ellen Marie returned to the Woods in 2004.
To read the entire obituary for a sister, please visit www.SistersofProvidence.org and look for the “As seen in HOPE” link.
Obituaries
I
n memory
“I sleep, but my heart watches … ” — Song of Songs
Newsnotes
Resolution honors Catholic sisters
On Sept. 22 the United States House of Represen­tatives
passed House Resolution 441 which “honors and commends Catholic sisters for their humble service and courageous sacrifice throughout the history” of the country. The resolution was intro­duced
by Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, and co-sponsored by 67 members of both parties.
Representative Mark Souder, R-Ind., a member of the United Brethren in Christ, also offered remarks for the Congressional Record about the influence
of sisters in his state, particularly Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, who established a system of parish schools in Indiana. Representative Brad Ellsworth, D-Ind., whose district includes Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, was among members who voted in favor of the resolution.
Subscribe to our blogs!
The Sisters of Providence recently have added three new blogs to help share information about the mis­sion
of the Congregation.
A blog is sometimes referred to as a public diary. (The word is a combination of the words “web” and “log.”) The Sisters of Providence blogs offer some commentary, snippets of news, last minute reminders of events and a photo of the week. The goal is to offer a look at the daily life of the Sisters of Providence and our ministries.
A great benefit of blogs is that you can subscribe to them, which allows the content to be delivered to you by e-mail. To subscribe, you simply enter your e-mail address in the “subscribe via e-mail” box on each blog.
Blogs also allow for comments on posts; we would love to hear from you!
The main Sisters of Providence blog can be found at blog.SistersofProvidence.org. Links to the White Violet Center for Eco-Justice blog and the Provi­dence
Volunteer Ministry blog are available there.Sister Marie Kevin publishes book
Sister Marie Kevin Tighe has recently published a book titled, “Arch, Steeples and Dome — Reli­gious
Symbols on a Journey of Faith 1972-2006,” a reflective memoir of her personal experiences of coming to a renewed sense of church.
“This book has been developing in my mind and heart for many years,” said Sister Marie Kevin.“The experiences I describe were life-giving and spiritu­ally
enlightening for me. Hopefully, they will assist readers to recognize their call to be church, God’s presence in the world, in a way that enables us to know, love and serve one another in a deeper way.”
The book explores the process of learning new modes of interaction — genuine dialogue, collabora­tive
pastoral planning and shared decision-making — and gives examples of groups who have heeded this major call of the Second Vatican Council.
To order the book from The Gift Shop at Provi­dence
Center call toll free: 1-866-996-2947 or 812-535-2947 or e-mail giftshop@spsmw.org.
Since Saint Mother Theodore Guerin’s canonization Oct. 15, 2006, a steady stream of favors attribted to her intercession have been sent to the Office of the Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin.
Theresa, an Indianapolis resident, was diagnosed by her doctors with extremely serious lung cancer. A friend had a relic of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin. The friend, who also resides in Indianapolis, hated to give away her treasure, but loved her friend and gave Theresa the relic. “Keep the relic with you when you go into surgery,” the friend said. Both prayed for help. The surgery resulted in removal of 20 percent of Theresa’s lungs and post-surgery results showed no sign of cancer at all. Saint Mother Theodore had been at her side. Wonder and joy have filled and awed these two women, now disciples indeed.
20 HOPE // WINTER 201022 HOPE // WINTER 2010
www.SistersofProvidence.org 23
Upcoming events
Calendar
For all events, please see “Upcoming events” at www.SistersofProvidence.org for more information.
January
29-31 Fiber Workshop, Friday 7-8:30 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday 8:30-11 a.m. (EST). Spinning for beginners. Felting with alpaca: make a decorated purse; wet and needle felting. Weaving with alpaca: for those with some experience. Cost: $150 Registration deadline: Jan. 15. Contact Sister Jean Fuqua at 812-535-2932 or
jfuqua@spsmw.org.
February
13 Chicago-area Mardi Gras Fundraiser, noon to 4 p.m. (CST), Guerin College Prepara­tory
High School, River Grove, Ill. Contact Sister Sue Paweski at 773-463-2478 or
spaweski@spsmw.org.
14-16 2010 Annual Phonathon. Calling from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.
20 Alpaca Neonatal Workshop, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST) Cost before Jan. 15 is $150 per person for a hands-on experience and $100 for the second person from the same farm or family; $100 per person for course with workbook, but no simulator experience. Cost after Jan. 15 is $175 per person for hands-on experience or $125 per person for course workbook, but no simulator experience. Registration deadline is Feb. 1. Contact Sister Maureen Freeman, CSJ, at 812-535-2930 or wvc@spsmw.org.
21-22 2010 Annual Phonathon. Calling from Chicago.
28-March 2 2010 Annual Phonathon. Calling from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.
March
7 2010 Annual Phonathon. Calling from Indianapolis.
19-20 Chicago Nun Run, Chicago. Visit various religious congregations over the two days. Contact Sister Jenny Howard, 1-800-860-1840, ext 2897, or jhoward@spsmw.org.
19-21 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, Anaheim, Calif. Visit us at our booth.
26-28 Spring Come and See Weekend, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Women ages 18-42 are invited to learn more about what it means to be a Sister of Providence. Weekend is free. Contact Sister Jenny Howard at 1-800-860-1840, ext 2897, or jhoward@spsmw.org.
27 “Awakening An Ecological Consciousness: Then What?” Presenter Sharon Zayak, OP, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (EDT). Contact Sister Maureen Freeman, CSJ, at 812-535-2930 or
wvc@spsmw.org.
April
16-18 Providence Associates and Candidate-Associates retreat at the Woods.
17 Annual Earth Day Celebration at the Woods, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (EDT). Free-will
donation at gates. Contact Candace Minster at 812-535-2935 or cminster@spsmw.org.
18 St. Columbkille all-school reunion, Fountain Blue, Des Plaines, Ill.
(Photo by Cheryl Casselman)Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Indianapolis
Indiana
Permit No. 593
Office of Congregational Advancement
1 Sisters of Providence
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876
FORWARDING SERVICE REQUESTED
The first-ever Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Fest was held Oct. 23-25, 2009, at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. The weekend was a time for pilgrims of all ages to worship, reflect quietly, pray, and get to know the Congregation and the life of Saint Mother Theodore. On Saturday evening, singer Nick Cardilino provided entertainment in Cecilian Auditorium. At left, General Officer Sister Paula Damiano joined in doing the hand motions during one of Nick’s songs. The next fest is slated for 2011. (Photo by Becky Igo)
WHAT
ENERGY!
Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Fest 2009:

Click tabs to swap between content that is broken into logical sections.

2 HOPE // WINTER 2010 www.SistersofProvidence.org 3
HOPE Features Cover story 4 Spiritual direction: you are not alone Young adults 6 Walking with young people
More on the Web 8 ‘ … a gift that you give to yourself’
Doubt 10 The sacrament of doubt
Departments Suggested resources 13 Partners in our mission 14 Alumnae/i news 17 Photo album 19 Newsnotes 20 My heart watches … 20 Obituaries 21 Upcoming events 22 Mission Statement: The purpose of HOPE is to extend the energy and power of Providence to our friends by sharing information about the mission, spirituality and ministries of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. Volume 5 • No. 2 winter 2010 Executive Editor: Sister Rosemary Schmalz
Editors: Sister Ann Casper and Diane Weidenbenner
Copy Editor: Sister Cordelia Moran Publication
Manager/Designer: Connie McCammon Cover Designer:
Pam Lynch Editorial Board: Rosie Blankenship, Christina Blust, Cheryl Casselman, Dave Cox, Brother Barry Donaghue, cfc, Michelle Fredeking, Sue Heck, Becky Igo, Sister Jeanne Knoerle, Sister Bernice Kuper, Sandy Scroggins and Sister Joan Zlogar Contact Information:
Office of Congregational Advancement, 1 Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876
For change of address: cdavis@spsmw.org or 812-535-2804 Web address: www.SistersofProvidence.org
Children’s Web site: www.WoodsUp.com Printed on recycled paper The Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin For information about Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, contact Sister Barbara Doherty, coordinator of the Office of the Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, Providence Hall, 1 Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN
47876-1007 or 812-535-2925 or bdoherty@spsmw.org.
Page 14
Page 6
Page 18
On the cover:
Sister Catherine Livers (right) has
been Vanita Moore’s spiritual
director since last spring. Sister
Catherine shares about spiritual
direction, “In our spiritual journeys,
we are always growing, we are
always learning more and more
about God’s love and grace.”
Join the Sisters
of Providence fan page
on Facebook!
4 HOPE // WINTER 2010
www.SistersofProvidence.org 5Cover story
Continued on page 5
Continued from page 4
Spiritual direction:
you are not alone
By Dave Cox
A multiple choice question for the spiritual at heart:
Being a spiritual director keeps you:
1.) On your toes
2.) Up to date
3.) On your knees
4.) Out of trouble
Actually, with not too much of a stretch of imagination, all four answers could be correct. Certainly, spiritual directors need to be alert and attentive to others’ needs; they need to be up-to-date on society’s demands and influences; they need to be in prayer; and, they’re probably too busy to get into much trouble.
Photo above: Vanita Moore (left) has sought spiritual direction from Sister Catherine Livers since March 2009. (Photo by Connie McCammon)
But Sister Catherine Livers, who has been a spiritu­al
director for 25 years, says emphatically, “It keeps you on your knees.”
“It seems now that many more people, maybe because of the chaotic times in which we live, are seeking a deeper meaning of life and their relation­ship
with God,” Sister Catherine said.
“It is very humbling to walk with someone on a spiritual journey. For someone to come and share her/his deepest longings or questions or anxieties about life, it does keep you on your knees. I know if I am not listening to God myself, or if I don’t have a spiritual director of my own, I’m not going to be as helpful. It helps me stay honest,” she added.
Sister Catherine has a background in counseling, education, spirituality and parish work. Often, when she has counseled people, she has realized she was receiving questions like who is God, or how do I pray, or where is God in this event in my life. In essence those questions form the foundation of a spiritual director’s role. The key foundation ques­tion
might be “What am I to learn?”
“They learn to look at their lives as events that come to them and say, ‘What is God trying to show me in this event or this circumstance?’ There is al­ways
a lesson. How can I become more knowledge­able
of God’s love in this event? Sometimes it isn’t easy,” Sister Catherine said.
“In each person there is an inner voice. A person learns to listen more carefully to silence, or do more reading, or just take a walk and be with nature. We can find God many ways,” she noted. “In our spiri­tual
journeys, we are always growing, we are always learning more and more about God’s love and grace.”
It seems easy to question God’s role and presence in times of stress such as tragedies, severe illnesses, natural disasters and personal challenges.
“A spiritual director can ask questions and help directees see that God doesn’t want them to suffer alone. God is right there walking with them, helping them to face the challenge they are going through. God wants the best for God’s children,” Sister
Catherine said.
When the challenge is steep and resolution seems re­mote,
it is time to exercise the knees again. “Let me tell you, you spend hours on your knees asking God to help that person, or finding the right message to share with that person. It isn’t always easy,” she said.
Sister Catherine’s ministry is an educational stimu­lant
and regular consultation with her spiritual advi­sor
keeps her focused.
“I’ve learned to appreciate human beings more. I enjoy walking with a person who is seeking God and wanting God to be more prevalent in his or her life. That is a profound gift. For me personally, it has made me a better listener. I know if I have noth­ing
inside, then there is nothing I can give to help people. I meet with my spiritual director regularly. How can I give to others unless I work on my own journey? I can have blind spots. I expect my spiritual director to be honest with me.”
HVanita finds a trusted companion for the journey
By Connie McCammon
Imagine having a trusted companion who will hold your deepest musings in confidence and walk beside you as you open your entire being to the sacred. Vanita Moore of Brazil, Ind., has found that trusted companion in Sister Catherine Livers.
Vanita took a very circuitous route to finding spiri­tual
direction. In 2000, Gary Scroggins, her pastor at the First Presbyterian Church in Brazil, enrolled in a two-year program through The Academy for Spiritual Formation. Gary shared his involvement in this program with his congregants. Then Vanita and several members of her church attended a retreat held at Our Lady of Fatima Retreat House, Indianap­olis.
Vanita remembers seeing many rooms marked for spiritual direction. Vanita really got interested in spiritual direction after she attended a five-day program at The Academy for Spiritual Formation. When she returned to Brazil, she was ready to find a spiritual director.
See VANITA MOORE on page 96 HOPE // WINTER 2010
www.SistersofProvidence.org 7
Young adults
Interviews and photos by Cheryl Casselman
Providence Volunteer Ministry (PVM), a program of the Sisters of Providence, gives women and men the opportunity to live and minister with
the Sisters of Providence for a summer or a year. As part of the year-long service
experience each volunteer chooses a spiritual director. Three of the PVMs responded to the question, “How have you grown in faith through spiritual direction?”
“Spiritual direction has been invaluable to me during my time here at the Woods. It has chal­lenged
me to grow and strengthen my relationship with God. I have been struggling in particular with taking time to consciously spend time with God. I have found that I get caught up in the chaos of the day and forget to center myself in him. Spiritual direction has given me some tools to create a calm and prayerful time within my day even amongst the craziness of life.”
— Arrianne Whittaker, of Germantown, Wis., is a graduate of Marquette University, Milwaukee, with a degree in biomedical sciences. She is ministering at St. Ann Clinic in Terre Haute.
“Through the past year-and-a-half of spiritual direc­tion,
I see God in the people I encounter and in all the things that’re happening around me. I see that through God, in God, and with God, all things are possible. Currently, I am learning to let go and let God be in control of my life, so that I am not the center, but God is. I am learning to trust God with all my will, body, mind and soul.”
— Alice Liu has lived in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Texas, California, Mas­sachusetts
and Hawaii. She has a master’s degree in professional accounting and bachelor degrees in economics and business admin­istration,
all from the University of Texas in Austin. Alice is ministering at Providence University in Taiwan.
“Nothing can stop my dreams if I believe in God. I don’t try to figure out my life, I just pray for the great one to give me a sign. I take long walks, take a deep breath and pray. I feel God close to me when I do this.
“You never know where God will put you. God gave me the strength to come to a new place and meet new people. God puts you in situations for a learning process. God will never let you down.”
— Nancy Morales, of the San Fernando Valley, Calif., is a gradu­ate
of California State Univer­sity
Northridge with a degree in health education. Nancy com­pleted
her PVM service at St. Ann Clinic and The Gift Shop at Provi­dence
Center in December.Spiritual direction: a challenge to grow in faith
alking with young people
W
By Becky Igo
How does one help a young person find his or her way on a personal spiritual journey?
Sister Betty Paul summed up the task effortlessly, advising us to: Be patient, show respect and offer much love and support.
Sister Betty should know as she has worked just over three decades in education, faith formation and youth-related ministries. Currently, she serves 19 parishes and two missions in the Greensboro and Winston-Salem Vicariates with the Office of Faith Formation for the Diocese of Charlotte, N.C.
Sister Betty’s office is in Greensboro, N.C. Her duties are varied and the pace often hectic. “I sup­port
the adults who serve young people as caticati­cal
leaders or catechists,” she said. In addition, she teaches faith formation classes or might be speaking to sixth- and seventh-grade students about “what it means to be a sister,” in her case, a Sister of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., where she took perpetual vows on April 10, 1976. She has most interaction with youth in sixth through 12th grades. Also, she is a volunteer catechist in her own parish, Our Lady of the Rosary in Lexington, N.C.
Persons responsible for faith formation emphasize they do not tell a young person or adult how to achieve or define their spirituality. Rather, the faith seekers are assisted in their search to “know Jesus” and to “build their relationship with Jesus,” Sister Betty said. “All that we do in faith formation is to help them build that relationship.”
An example of how faith develops is addressed in Rev. John H. Westerhoff’s book, “Will Our Children Have Faith?” In it, he defines four faith stages as:
• Experienced faith: the child experiencing what parents experience.
• Affiliative faith: belonging to a Christian com­munity
and being influenced by their peers.
• Searching faith: a time when youth start to question for themselves.
• Owned faith: standing up for what one believes.
“Our goal is to help young people become members of the parish community, walk with them and allow opportunity for their questions,” Sister Betty said, adding faith formation can take years and, in some cases, a lifetime.
According to Sister Betty, the Catholic Church has a respon­sibility
not only to youth, but to parents, parishes and com­munities.
She stressed that it’s important that parishes strive for family gathering opportunities to allow for social and prayer time together. “The celebration of Mass is the center of parish life,” she said. Also, youth are drawn to community service op­portunities
and parishes should note that, she added.
Following the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church began to put more emphasis on ministries to specific parish groups. In 1976, the U.S. Confer­ence
of Catholic Bishops compiled a document, “A Vision of Youth Ministry.” There was an immediate push to appoint youth ministers, to develop youth ministry training programs and youth leadership training, to in­crease
youth ministry resources, and to attend to the needs of families.
Twenty years later, the bishops enhanced that vision with “Re­newing
the Vision,” focusing on three important goals:
• Empowering young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ;
• Drawing young people to responsible participation in the life, mission and work of the Church; and
• Fostering the total personal and spiritual growth of each young person.
“Adolescents are a priority and
Photo above: On May 23, 2009, Sister Betty Paul joined Rev. Al Gondek, OSFS, as Lumi Navarro received her First Holy Communion conducted at the Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Lexington, N.C. (Submitted photo)
See SISTER BETTY on page 88 HOPE // WINTER 2010
www.SistersofProvidence.org 9
“Gary told me to go online [to Spiritual Directors International]. So I went online looking for lists of spiritual directors in the area,” said Vanita, who helps her husband, Rob, run Moore Funeral Home, a 125-year-old family business in Brazil.
Providence intervened when Sandy Scroggins, wife of Gary and major gifts associate in the Office of Congregational Advancement of the Sisters of Provi­dence,
attended a luncheon where Vanita was pres­ent.
Vanita shared with Sandy that she was seeking a spiritual director. Sandy told Vanita she had the perfect person for her!
Vanita and Sister Catherine have been meeting three or four times a month since March 2009.
“[Spiritual direction] is being aware of how God acts in my life. Sister Catherine said the first day we met that as a spiritual director she works holisti­cally.
She wants to know about my day-to-day life,
Continued from page 5
Vanita Moore
it’s a challenge in some cases because of the lack of personnel and financial resources,” Sister Betty said. Even with few resources opportunities can be offered, even if they are sporadic, she adds.
“The challenge is that it takes a long time to build up youth ministry,” Sister Betty said. “Sometimes you start in the middle grades and offer something, and then you add to that and continue on through the high school faith formation years.”
Sister Betty said her faith formation work has been rewarding.
“During my 30-plus years in diocesan ministry, I have had the opportunity to assist bishops in the
Sister Bettyabout my family, about my work, about my inter­ests,
about my hobbies and how God plays a role in my life,” said Vanita, an accomplished storyteller and a member of the Network of Biblical Storytell­ers
International.
“After meeting with Sister Catherine for two or three times, I remember looking at her and smil­ing
and I said, ‘I really like spending this time with you. I feel like I can ask you anything and talk to you about anything and you’re not trying to fix me.’ And she laughed and smiled great big and said, ‘Oh, honey, you don’t need to be fixed; you just need somebody to travel the path with you.’ I love that. That’s what our relationship has been,” said Vanita.
Vanita has been blessed by finding a trusted com­panion
for her journey.
For more information about Vanita and her story­telling,
visit www.moorestories.net. For more infor­mation
about The Academy for Spiritual Formation, visit www.upperroom.org/academy.dioceses of Oklahoma City, Norwich, Worcester and Charlotte in their role as Chief Catechetical Leader through my youth ministry and faith formation positions. I have received support, encouragement and gratitude from them in these ministry situations which have given me a positive experience of our universal Catholic Church,” Sister Betty said.
“I have had the opportunity to share this experience of the broader Catholic Church with young people and to offer them that experience in a variety of set­tings
outside their local parish community: retreats, leadership training, summer camps, youth conferenc­es
(diocesan, regional, national and international), in educational settings.
“To walk with young people on their faith journeys over these years through my ministry experiences has been a privilege and a blessing,” she said.
Continued from page 7
H
H
Story and photo by Connie McCammon
Providence Associate Connie Schnapf of New­burgh,
Ind., has been a spiritual director for four years. A few years ago, she completed a two-year internship program in spiritual direction with the Sisters of St. Benedict in Ferdinand, Ind.
“[Spiritual direction] is the op­portunity
to sit with a trusted companion/spiritual director and to reflect on your relationship with God. It’s a time to look at your daily life and God’s pres­ence
within it. It is a gift that you give to yourself!” said Con­nie,
who serves as the director of religious education at St. John the Baptist Parish, Newburgh.
“Working in a parish setting gives me opportunities to be available to people in and around the parish and diocese. I find that my train­ing
as a spiritual director goes beyond the one-on-one setting of the spiritual direction relationship. The skills learned during my formation have been invaluable in interacting with people of all ages on a daily basis. Everyone wants to be truly listened to. How this is done can make all the difference in the world,” said Connie.
“I come away from a spiritual direction session in awe at how the Spirit works in our lives. It is an honor and privilege to accompany another person on her/his journey. I sometimes wonder who was the directee and who was the companion. It is very humbling to be a part of another person’s life in this way,” continued Connie
Visit www.SistersofProvidence.org and click on “As seen in HOPE” for a more in-depth interview with Connie.
‘ … a gift that you give to yourself’
More on the Web
By Diane Weidenbenner
Hannah Corbin visited the Sisters of Providence booth at the 2005 National Catholic Youth Confer­ence,
“Winds of Change,” in Atlanta. She was among the 22,000 in attendance that included high school and col­lege
students, religious educa­tors,
chaperones and parents. Little did she know then how appropriate the conference title would prove to be in her own life. Fast forward to Sept. 14, 2009, and you’ll find Han­nah
knocking on the Provi­dence
Hall front door, a tradi­tion
symbolizing her entrance into the Sisters of Providence as a postulant.
Hannah graduated in 2006 from the University of Indianapolis with degrees in German and youth ministry. As she learned more about the Sisters of Providence, she became interested in its Provi­dence
Volunteer Ministry (PVM). She became a summer volunteer in June 2006 and worked in the organic and biodynamic vegetable gardens and orchards of White Violet Center for Eco-Justice (WVC), a ministry of the Sisters of Providence.
Visit www.SistersofProvi­dence.
org and click on “As seen in HOPE” to read more about Hannah’s spiritual walk.
Hannah shares about her spiritual walk
Photo at left: Sister Dina Bato, novice, walks with Hannah Corbin, Sister Rita Ann Wade and Hannah’s mentor,
Sister Barbara McClelland, (left to right) during
Hannah’s entrance into the postulancy. (Photo by
Christina Blust)sacrament
10 HOPE // WINTER 2010
www.SistersofProvidence.org 11
Doubt
The
By Brother Barry Donaghue, cfc
I was excited to read, as recently as Oct. 30, 2009, that we are now able to estimate the distance from Earth of a huge gamma ray burst, previously de­tected
by NASA’s Swift satellite. Since light coming from such an extraordinary distance is stretched because the universe is expanding, the greater the stretch the more distant the object. This stretching is called redshift and can be seen and measured. The previous most distant object was a galaxy and had a redshift of 6.96. This gamma-ray burst had a redshift of 8.2, which puts it at 13.1 billion years ago, the furthest we have ever seen, a “mere” 630 million years after the original “flaring forth.” That’s amazing!
At that time the universe was nine times smaller than it is now.
The immensity, beauty and timing of the movement of creation continue to be “Oh, my God” mo­ments
for me as I become more and more aware of the power, intelligence and sheer life-force of our God and the amazing presence and relationship of the same God in our lives. Just as the universe is expanding, so the life and example of Jesus calls us to expand our understanding of and our relationship with God. We have the deposit of faith, but we must also continue to interact with it, because it is of God and never-ending.
This new science certainly challenges the old stories of creation that I was brought up on, although I can still value them. The Bible stories of creation were addressed to people at a particular time in history with their worldview and the religious questions that emerged from that worldview and their notions about God. In this context the stories conveyed both hope and truth for them. But they cannot and should not be taught as literal fact today.
Not surprisingly, all this has brought up for me the role of doubt in developing my faith. I was somewhat surprised when I realized that doubt was not a challenge to my faith, but rather called me to consider far more deeply what I believe and why. I realized that doubt is not the opposite of faith; certainty has that role. These new discoveries, although challenging my certain­ties,
have freed my faith to lead me into a deeper relationship with God. Certainty is comfortable, but if I am comfortable I will be very reluctant to move. In terms of faith development I need a “burr under my saddle” and doubt supplies that. Not comfort­able,
but necessary. Doubt has helped me realize more of what was meant by God’s words in Isaiah 55:9: “As the heavens are higher than the Earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
We could also turn to the words of St. Thomas Aquinas: “A mistake in our understanding of cre­ation
will necessarily cause a mistake in our under­standing
of God.” Or those of St. Paul in Romans 1:20: “Ever since God created the world, God’s everlasting power and deity — however invisible — have been there for the mind to see in the things God has made.” Again, in Romans 8:22 Paul says: “We know that the whole creation has been groan­ing
as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.”
These great intuitive saints could not see what we can see with modern technology, but they sensed that God was about more than we could think or imagine. Paul, for instance, had to doubt the power of the Law, all that he had been brought up to believe as sacred, and that came hard. So, if all this stuff about the universe knocks us off our horses, isn’t that wonderful? Could it be that the age of the horse is past?
Let me use an example from my years in Tasmania, Australia’s island state. The southwest of the state is dense temperate rain forest, absolutely track­less,
but a wonderful place to hike amongst 150
of
doubt
See DOUBT on page 12
I realized that doubt is not the opposite of faith. …
— BROTHER BARRY DONAGHUE
“
”12 HOPE // WINTER 2010 www.SistersofProvidence.org 13
Resources
Web site:
Spiritual Directors International: www.sdiworld.org
This site is quite good. It provides information about what spiritual direction is and how one can find a director. This site does this for all religions.
Books:
“When the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Life’s Sacred Questions” by Sue Monk Kidd (1990)
This book invites the reader to enter more deeply into oneself and to ask the questions that are both personal and always universal.
“Being in Love: The Practice of Christian Prayer” by William Johnston (1989)
William Johnston is a Jesuit and the author of many books on spirituality. He writes in the form of letters to a colleague who is opening a new prayer center. He gives advice and encouragement which would be helpful to anyone wanting to grow in the spiritual life. He broadens the notion of prayer, brings together ideas from the East and the West, talks about coming to wholeness in one’s person and the need to change.
Other book suggestions:
“Holy Listening: The Art of Spiritual Direction” by Margaret Guenther
“The Art of Spiritual Guidance” by Carolyn Gratton
“Spiritual Director, Spiritual Companion: Guide to Tending the Soul” by Tilden Edwards
“Spiritual Direction: Beyond the Beginnings” by Janet Ruffing, RSM
“Silent Hope: Living with the Mystery of God” by John Kirvan
“Radical Amazement: Contemplative Lessons from Black Holes, Supernovas, and Other Wonders of the Universe” by Judy Cannato
“The Holy Longing: The Search for a Christian Spirituality” by Ronald RolheiserSuggested resources for spiritual direction
www.smwc.eduWOODS ONLINESaint Mary-of-the-Woods College1-800-499-0373• An interactiveonline degree program• Accelerated 8 week courses• Earn your degree in 4 years• Earn Credit for Life Experiences• Financial Aid AvailableIntroducing ...Go to College ... Without Going to Class!
tall mountains, button grass plains and a multitude of lakes with reflections you wouldn’t believe; an extraordinary eco-system that has been developing for more than 65 million years.
However, one does get lost; in fact getting lost is just about mandatory. But we have maps and a com­pass
and even aerial photographs. So we get back our bearings from two or preferably three moun­tains
we recognize from the contours on the map and find out where we really are. Then we compare it with the aerial map terrain and continue on our course, until we start to doubt our progress again. As Saint Mother Theodore Guerin said, “Grope along slowly.” We are in the arms of God.
I use this example of “getting lost” as a metaphor for spiritual direction, although the spiritual direc­tor
is going to be a lot more relational and listening than a bunch of maps and compasses.
In 1840, Sister St. Theodore, sick and physically damaged, was asked to cross a dangerous ocean and go into the wilderness. We know from the writings of the second general superior, Mother Cecilia Bailly, that by the time she was walking down the slope, after the wagon stopped in the forest at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Sister St. Theodore was so full of doubt she was almost despairing. However, she persevered, and in the little log cabin chapel she saw the consecrated host and realized that God was here waiting for her. She had never been out of God’s view. Her doubt led to something like the explosion of the universe in her much smaller psyche. When she stepped out of that sorry little building, in a sense, all that the Sisters of Providence have accom­plished
in God’s name over 170 years exploded out of her, continuing to spread ever since. Such a force for good! And Sister St. Theodore became Saint Mother Theodore.
Let us go out across our symbolic seas and venture into our dark forests and deep caves. Let us take our good, strong, loving hearts with us and walk with God into the wilderness. Never be afraid to doubt. Nothing great has ever been achieved without it.
I had grasped God’s garment in the void
but my hand slipped
on the rich silk of it.
The “everlasting arms” my sister loved to remember must have upheld my leaden weight
from falling, even so,
for though I claw at empty air and feel
nothing, no embrace,
I have not plummeted.
“Suspended,” Denise Levertov
Director of Providence Center at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., Brother Barry Donaghue is an
Australian Christian Brother. He is a teacher and retreat director.
Doubt
Continued from page 11
HDialogue with us!The members of the HOPE editorial board want to hear from you. Please visit
www.SistersofProvidence.org and look for the link that says, “How has doubt played a role in your faith development? Share your thoughts.”Don’t forget our Web site has stories about Hannah Corbin and Connie Schnapf.14 HOPE // WINTER 2010 www.SistersofProvidence.org 15
Partners in our mission
By Connie McCammon
“We try to share with them as friends.”
With this simple statement Mary Kay Watson of Worton, Md., sums up her and her husband’s relationship with the Sisters of Providence. And by sharing, Mary Kay doesn’t mean just financially. She also means sharing herself.
Mary Kay was born and raised in Washington, Ind. She was taught by the Benedictines during her elementary school years. When she entered high school at Washington Catholic in 1961, she met her first Sister of Providence. The first sister who really made an impres­sion
on her was the late Sister Carol Rassenfoss, a music teacher. Mary Kay had taken piano lessons throughout elementary school. How­ever,
Mary Kay noted that she wasn’t “particularly talented.” So when she went to high school, Mary Kay thought her piano days were over. However one day her mother announced that she had found a new piano teacher — Sister Carol!
“With that I burst into tears and ran into the bed­room
because the last thing I ever wanted to hear was that I was going to keep on taking piano les­sons!
Sister Carol was my first really close Provi­dence
connection. She got me through my first boyfriend, my first broken heart. She taught me as much piano as she could. She was just a wonderful connection for me,” said Mary Kay.
Because of that music, Mary Kay was able to
participate in a choral festival at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in the fall of 1961, her first trip to the Woods. “I told my parents that was where I was going to school. I never applied anywhere else,” continued Mary Kay, who graduated from the college in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She later earned a MBA from Monmouth College (now University) in West Long Branch, N.J.
To most people, Mary Kay is simply known as Mary. “Mary Kay is a Woods concoction,” she said. “I grew up as Mary. It was only when I appeared as a freshman at the Woods that there were so many Marys that year that my beanie had Mary and the initial ‘K.’ I kind of liked it. So to my Woods family, I’m Mary Kay,” said Mary Kay, who would later add the “a” and “y” to make Kay!
After graduation, Mary Kay worked for five years as a contract negotiator for the Navy at Crane, Ind. Life would take her to Moorestown, N.J., where she joined RCA, later to become Lockheed Martin, married and started a family that would include one son. When she retired in 2002, she was serving as a financial program facilitator dealing with the Navy in Washing­ton,
D.C. It was through her work that she met her second husband, Al Watson, a native of Maine.
Al attended Tufts University in Medford, Mass., on a Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Scholarship. Upon graduation in 1957 with a degree in applied and theoretical mathematics, he was immediately commissioned into the Navy.
After serving 26 years in the Navy, Al retired in 1979. Two years later he went to work for RCA as a program manager. When he retired in 2002 he was the director of development for the AEGIS Weapon System.
“On the way I met a contracting officer by the name of Mary, who later became my wife,” said Al, who has one son from a previous marriage and three grandchildren. Mary Kay and Al were mar­ried
in 1993.
Retirement brought an opportunity for new endeav­ors.
“Once we retired in Maryland, we had more time to consider how we wanted to spend our time and some of our resources. I would say that it was Al who encouraged me to increase our financial sup­port
for the Congregation,” said Mary Kay.
The increase in personal time with the Congregation occurred after the Watsons attended a Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Dinner at the Woods. “Sister Marsha Speth was my dinner partner,” said Mary Kay. “We realized that we had a lot in common. We developed a relation­ship.
I commented to her a few times that I was a little lost in retirement and looking to do something more and didn’t know what was next.”
Sister Marsha, a general officer, eventually asked Mary Kay if she would serve on the Congregation’s Mission Advisory Board (MAB). That request was later modified to include Al. Both Watsons joined the MAB in 2008. Additionally, they began serving on the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Board of Trustees in the fall of 2008.
“I am a planner and a manager by lots of years of experience. That’s the kind of support that I would like to give,” said Al, who has developed close friendships with several sisters including Sisters Dorothy Rasche and Ruth Eileen Dwyer.
“I think I bring a strong love through just the many
haring as friends
S
Continued on page 15
Continued from page 14
Photo above: Mary Kay and Al Watson enjoy some leisure time with Sister Marsha Speth (left) and Sister Dorothy Rasche (right). (Submitted photo)
“
I really believe that Mother Theodore’s spirit just pervades the entire campus and
everyone on it.
— MARY KAY WATSON
”
See MARY KAY on page 1616 HOPE // WINTER 2010
www.SistersofProvidence.org 17
Alumnae/i news
years of association and a great desire to help
people connect with one another,” said Mary Kay. “Yes, I can enjoy working budgets and providing advice, but I’m more of a facilitator.”
With their commitments to the Congregation and the college, the Watsons make a minimum of six trips to the Woods each year. But they always look forward to each trip.
“I love the peacefulness and the tranquility when
Mary Kay
Continued from page 15I’m there and the love of all the people that sur­round
us,” said Al.
“For me it’s coming back home. I would say that my college years were among the happiest of my life. And I really believe that Mother Theodore’s spirit just pervades the entire campus and everyone on it,” said Mary Kay, who has remembered the Congregation in her will.
Indeed, it’s simple to see that it’s as friends that Mary Kay and Al give of themselves and their fi­nancial
support to the Sisters of Providence.
HYou can make a safe online donation
Relax! Online donations to the Sisters of Provi­dence
are safe and secure. We want to provide you with the most secure and safe means to make donations online. So, we have contracted with PayPal to be our “merchant services” provider.
You don’t have to have an account with PayPal to make online contributions to the Sisters of Provi­dence.
Just go to our Web site at www.Sistersof­Providence.
org, click the “Donate” link under the “Contribute” tab and you’re there.
While you’re online, browse around the rest of the site to see what’s new.
Dear Alums,
Congratulations to the women of St. John Academy (SJA), Indianapolis! In September, 120 of St. John Academy alumnae celebrated the 50th year of the closing of the school and the 150th year of its be­ginning
with a Eucharistic Liturgy in St. John’s Church. Many memories of the times at SJA were shared by all at the brunch at the Convention Center. The Class of 1959 was the honored 50-year graduates. Thank you, Sister Marie Grace Molloy and Mary Ann Roman, for coor­dinating
the event.
Another Indianapolis reunion was celebrated on Sept. 26 by Ladywood School alumnae at their tri-annual luncheon. Thank you to Sister Jacquelyn “Jackie” Hoffman and her committee for a lovely gathering with a presentation about Saint Mother Theodore Guerin by Sister Barbara Doherty.
The annual all-school Providence High School Alumnae reunion took place on Oct. 31. The Class of 1949 had many happy alumnae reminiscing and catching up with current news. The alumnae as­sociation
again presented the Sisters of Providence Retirement Fund with a generous gift. That was a great treat for Halloween!
I want to encourage all alumnae/i associations to utilize the Web site (www.SistersofProvidence.org). Photos, announcements of events and information of interest can be posted on our Web site. Contact me to make a posting.
Sister Sue Paweski
773-463-2478 or spaweski@spsmw.org
Fall features great reunions
Top photo: Posing for a photo with Sister Sue (middle) during the Providence High School reunion are Carolyn Eaker Mitchell (left), Class of 1949, and Virginia M. Kott, Class of 1946. Bottom photo: Those attending the St. John Acad­emy
Class of 1959 reunion are (front, left to right): Dolores Meisberger Otto, Nancysue Blaschke Bishop, Margaret Ann Smith, Sharon Heeke Kennedy, Mary Roach Halterman and Mary Piercy Bake­meyer;
back row: Sondra Blankenbaker Singer, Sharon Chase Ronnebaum, Eileen Workman Young, Angela Hart Coffman, Betty Murphy Abbott, Rosalind Brothers
Brennan and Paula Weaver Johnson. (Submitted photos)
What does love look like?
All the volunteers who help us during our annual phonathon. Were it not for these women and men, the phonathon would not be the success that it has been in past years.
Sisters, staff members, alumnae/i, Providence As­sociates
and Candidate-Associates will give of their time during the 2010 Annual Phonathon. We ask that you take a few minutes when they call to talk with them.
The 2010 Annual Phonathon will be held Feb. 14-March 3. Volunteers will be calling from loca­tions
throughout the United States.
What does love look like?
All of you who will answer the phone when one of these volunteers calls. Help us make our phona­thon
a success by pledging your support to the life and mission of the Sisters of Providence.
To learn more about other ways you can support the Sisters of Providence, go to www.Sistersof­Providence.
org and click on “As seen in HOPE.”What does love look like?18 HOPE // WINTER 2010
www.SistersofProvidence.org 19
Welcome, Hannah!
Photo album
On Sept. 14, 2009, Hannah Corbin entered the Sisters of Providence as a postulant. General Superior Sister Denise Wilkinson, other members of the General Council, voca­tion
team members and several other sisters welcomed and blessed Hannah on the beginning of her journey with Providence. The next day, Hannah visited the Archives Department to add her name to the Entrance Book of the Congregation. There are two Entrance Books listing every woman who has entered the Congregation. Hannah is number 5,242. Pictured with Hannah are Sister Mary Ryan (center), archivist, and Sister Jan Craven, director of postulancy. (Photo by Christina Blust)
To view more photo albums, visit www.SistersofProvidence.org and look for the “As seen in HOPE” link. Or click on “News” in the upper-right-hand corner of our Web site and then click “Photos.”
Fore! 2010 scramble date set
The members of the Earl C. Rodgers & Associates Inc., West Terre Haute, Ind., golf team strike a casual pose during the 2009 Hole-y-One Golf Scramble™ held at the Hulman Links Golf Course in Terre Haute, Ind., on Sept. 18. The day was picture-perfect for a round of golf as 34 teams participated in the scramble. Next year’s golf scramble will be held Sept. 17, 2010, at Hulman Links. For more information, contact Diane Weidenbenner at 812-535-2802 or dweidenb@spsmw.org. (Photo by
Christina Blust)
Maureen Baca (left), a new Providence Associate from
Albuquerque, N.M., presents her commitment certificate to General Officer Sister Marsha Speth during the Rite of Commitment on Nov. 7 in the Church of the Immacu­late
Conception. Maureen and 22 other candidate-asso­ciates
made their commitments on a glorious fall day. Additionally, 37 Providence Associates renewed their commitments. In November, there were Rite of Renewal ceremonies in California, Chicago, Indianapolis and South Bend, Ind. For more information about Providence Associates, visit www.ProvidenceAssociates.org. (Photo by Connie McCammon)
Associates make commitments
In the news
The Sisters of Providence: a level above
The Sisters of Providence were selected to receive the prestigious Vision, A Level Above Award during the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce’s annual dinner meeting. The Vision, A Level Above Award recognizes an individ­ual,
individuals, an organization or business for making significant progress toward enhancing quality of life is­sues,
growth, and economic development promising future growth in our community further setting Terre Haute a level above other communities.
Pictured above after the program are Christopher Doll, executive vice president of Wabash Capital; Sister Paula Damiano, general officer; Sister Marie McCarthy, gen­eral
officer; Sister Jane Marie Osterholt, general officer; Sister Denise Wilkinson, general superior; Sister Nancy Reynolds, general officer; Sister Marsha Speth, general officer and vicar; Terre Haute attorney Curt Wilkinson; Rod Henry, executive director of the Terre Haute Cham­ber
of Commerce; and Catherine Saunders, Director of Development for the College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services at Indiana State University. (Photo courtesy of the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce and Mic’s Pics)
Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, foundress of the Sisters of Providence, is among the first group of individuals chosen for the new Local Legends Walk of Fame in Terre Haute, Ind.
A plaque honoring her contributions to education and ministry to people will be placed on North Ninth Street near the center of downtown where the Local Legends Walk of Fame will be located.
“We are, of course, thrilled that the Terre Haute community has embraced the legacy of our Saint Mother Theodore so strongly that they have in­cluded
her in such a historically significant group,” said Sister Denise Wilkinson, general superior.
Mother Theodore honoredwww.SistersofProvidence.org 21
Sister Catherine Alberta Kunkler June 28, 1922-Sept. 1, 2009
“Sister Catherine Alberta’s life, like that of Jesus, was given that others might have the freedom to work, study, teach and pray without concern for the more mundane things of life: having a clean, ordered environment in which to live; hot, tasty meals; and clean linen on their bed.”
Entering the Congregation Jan. 5, 1941, Sister Catherine Alberta ministered in domestic services at the motherhouse as well as at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. She minis­tered
at a New Hampshire convent and served 11 years as the director of food service at the Fatima Retreat House in Indianapolis.
Sister Mary Richard Griffith March 16, 1915-Oct. 18, 2009
“Sister Mary Richard loved oil painting and enjoyed painting delicate flowers on china. She mastered the violin and she loved to sing.”
Sister Mary Richard entered the Congregation July 19, 1934. She ministered for four decades as a teacher, administrator or clerical assistant in schools in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Massachusetts. She also served as a bookkeeper and business manager of Our Lady of Loretto Parish, Los Angeles. Upon her retirement, she continued with parish work before returning to the Woods and volunteering in several offices at the motherhouse.
Sister Mary Julia Cummings Feb. 3, 1922-Oct. 28, 2009
“Sister Mary Julia was fair and nonjudgmental. She was quiet and unassuming.”
Sister Mary Julia entered the Congregation Jan. 5, 1939. She ministered more than three decades in education and two decades in parish ministry. Her missions were in Indiana, Illinois and Oklahoma. Sister Mary Julia returned to the Woods in 1998.
Sister Ellen Marie Stafford April 12, 1916-Nov. 3, 2009
“Sister Ellen Marie’s presence was quiet and undemanding.”
Sister Ellen Marie entered the Congregation on July 15, 1934. Her years in ministry were devoted as either a teacher or parish visitor in Indiana and Illinois. The majority of her ministry was spent in Galesburg, Ill. Sister Ellen Marie returned to the Woods in 2004.
To read the entire obituary for a sister, please visit www.SistersofProvidence.org and look for the “As seen in HOPE” link.
Obituaries
I
n memory
“I sleep, but my heart watches … ” — Song of Songs
Newsnotes
Resolution honors Catholic sisters
On Sept. 22 the United States House of Represen­tatives
passed House Resolution 441 which “honors and commends Catholic sisters for their humble service and courageous sacrifice throughout the history” of the country. The resolution was intro­duced
by Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, and co-sponsored by 67 members of both parties.
Representative Mark Souder, R-Ind., a member of the United Brethren in Christ, also offered remarks for the Congressional Record about the influence
of sisters in his state, particularly Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, who established a system of parish schools in Indiana. Representative Brad Ellsworth, D-Ind., whose district includes Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, was among members who voted in favor of the resolution.
Subscribe to our blogs!
The Sisters of Providence recently have added three new blogs to help share information about the mis­sion
of the Congregation.
A blog is sometimes referred to as a public diary. (The word is a combination of the words “web” and “log.”) The Sisters of Providence blogs offer some commentary, snippets of news, last minute reminders of events and a photo of the week. The goal is to offer a look at the daily life of the Sisters of Providence and our ministries.
A great benefit of blogs is that you can subscribe to them, which allows the content to be delivered to you by e-mail. To subscribe, you simply enter your e-mail address in the “subscribe via e-mail” box on each blog.
Blogs also allow for comments on posts; we would love to hear from you!
The main Sisters of Providence blog can be found at blog.SistersofProvidence.org. Links to the White Violet Center for Eco-Justice blog and the Provi­dence
Volunteer Ministry blog are available there.Sister Marie Kevin publishes book
Sister Marie Kevin Tighe has recently published a book titled, “Arch, Steeples and Dome — Reli­gious
Symbols on a Journey of Faith 1972-2006,” a reflective memoir of her personal experiences of coming to a renewed sense of church.
“This book has been developing in my mind and heart for many years,” said Sister Marie Kevin.“The experiences I describe were life-giving and spiritu­ally
enlightening for me. Hopefully, they will assist readers to recognize their call to be church, God’s presence in the world, in a way that enables us to know, love and serve one another in a deeper way.”
The book explores the process of learning new modes of interaction — genuine dialogue, collabora­tive
pastoral planning and shared decision-making — and gives examples of groups who have heeded this major call of the Second Vatican Council.
To order the book from The Gift Shop at Provi­dence
Center call toll free: 1-866-996-2947 or 812-535-2947 or e-mail giftshop@spsmw.org.
Since Saint Mother Theodore Guerin’s canonization Oct. 15, 2006, a steady stream of favors attribted to her intercession have been sent to the Office of the Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin.
Theresa, an Indianapolis resident, was diagnosed by her doctors with extremely serious lung cancer. A friend had a relic of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin. The friend, who also resides in Indianapolis, hated to give away her treasure, but loved her friend and gave Theresa the relic. “Keep the relic with you when you go into surgery,” the friend said. Both prayed for help. The surgery resulted in removal of 20 percent of Theresa’s lungs and post-surgery results showed no sign of cancer at all. Saint Mother Theodore had been at her side. Wonder and joy have filled and awed these two women, now disciples indeed.
20 HOPE // WINTER 201022 HOPE // WINTER 2010
www.SistersofProvidence.org 23
Upcoming events
Calendar
For all events, please see “Upcoming events” at www.SistersofProvidence.org for more information.
January
29-31 Fiber Workshop, Friday 7-8:30 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday 8:30-11 a.m. (EST). Spinning for beginners. Felting with alpaca: make a decorated purse; wet and needle felting. Weaving with alpaca: for those with some experience. Cost: $150 Registration deadline: Jan. 15. Contact Sister Jean Fuqua at 812-535-2932 or
jfuqua@spsmw.org.
February
13 Chicago-area Mardi Gras Fundraiser, noon to 4 p.m. (CST), Guerin College Prepara­tory
High School, River Grove, Ill. Contact Sister Sue Paweski at 773-463-2478 or
spaweski@spsmw.org.
14-16 2010 Annual Phonathon. Calling from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.
20 Alpaca Neonatal Workshop, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST) Cost before Jan. 15 is $150 per person for a hands-on experience and $100 for the second person from the same farm or family; $100 per person for course with workbook, but no simulator experience. Cost after Jan. 15 is $175 per person for hands-on experience or $125 per person for course workbook, but no simulator experience. Registration deadline is Feb. 1. Contact Sister Maureen Freeman, CSJ, at 812-535-2930 or wvc@spsmw.org.
21-22 2010 Annual Phonathon. Calling from Chicago.
28-March 2 2010 Annual Phonathon. Calling from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.
March
7 2010 Annual Phonathon. Calling from Indianapolis.
19-20 Chicago Nun Run, Chicago. Visit various religious congregations over the two days. Contact Sister Jenny Howard, 1-800-860-1840, ext 2897, or jhoward@spsmw.org.
19-21 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, Anaheim, Calif. Visit us at our booth.
26-28 Spring Come and See Weekend, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Women ages 18-42 are invited to learn more about what it means to be a Sister of Providence. Weekend is free. Contact Sister Jenny Howard at 1-800-860-1840, ext 2897, or jhoward@spsmw.org.
27 “Awakening An Ecological Consciousness: Then What?” Presenter Sharon Zayak, OP, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (EDT). Contact Sister Maureen Freeman, CSJ, at 812-535-2930 or
wvc@spsmw.org.
April
16-18 Providence Associates and Candidate-Associates retreat at the Woods.
17 Annual Earth Day Celebration at the Woods, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (EDT). Free-will
donation at gates. Contact Candace Minster at 812-535-2935 or cminster@spsmw.org.
18 St. Columbkille all-school reunion, Fountain Blue, Des Plaines, Ill.
(Photo by Cheryl Casselman)Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Indianapolis
Indiana
Permit No. 593
Office of Congregational Advancement
1 Sisters of Providence
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876
FORWARDING SERVICE REQUESTED
The first-ever Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Fest was held Oct. 23-25, 2009, at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. The weekend was a time for pilgrims of all ages to worship, reflect quietly, pray, and get to know the Congregation and the life of Saint Mother Theodore. On Saturday evening, singer Nick Cardilino provided entertainment in Cecilian Auditorium. At left, General Officer Sister Paula Damiano joined in doing the hand motions during one of Nick’s songs. The next fest is slated for 2011. (Photo by Becky Igo)
WHAT
ENERGY!
Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Fest 2009: